Joseph hates losing at anything. He doesn’t know how to lose, but the truth is, he can’t stand losing, not even in a conversation. It is so great to win and he feels so good when he wins, that he never wants to give up that feeling; not for anything in the world. On top of that, losing makes him feel precisely the opposite. Joseph thinks that losing is the worst thing that could happen to anyone. If there is a game Joseph isn't brilliant at, he simply won’t play it. But if he is going to win he would take part, even if the game lasted only a minute. And the kind of things he is really good at, like basketball or soccer, you could hardly stop him playing. He gets a high playing both sports that is unexplainable. He goes over his highlights of the game with us afterwards and the smile on his face is like no other. I can tell he is truly happy with himself after winning a game, especially if he outdid himself.
Basketball has helped Joseph in many ways. It has helped him learn how to work with a team to accomplish a common goal. When you are on the basketball court, you have four other boys or girls that are willing and ready to help you when you need it. In life and in the work world there will be times when he will have to work with other people and I feel that basketball has been a very useful tool to develop that skill. Good character is a quality that he has acquired from playing basketball. You need to be able to get along with all of your teammates, even if they aren’t necessarily your friends. Sportsmanship is another thing that basketball has given him. If you win or lose you need to put a smile on your face and go and shake the other team’s hands and tell them good game. You have to respect what the referee says and bite your tongue when he makes a bad call. The other team also deserves respect. You can’t lash out on the court. Keeping your cool on the court is sometimes challenging but it is important not to lose it and keep yourself calm. That is why the mental game of basketball is the most challenging. In order to be successful in basketball you have to be able to remember plays, calm yourself down, and remain optimistic. Believe in yourself and your team at all times.
Joseph is finally learning to not take the game so seriously and to have fun. He is learning that winning isn't everything. You learn from your mistakes and you move on. He is less tense now and enjoys the game more. It has taken a few years to learn this and still battles with it occasionally, but I see him brushing it off of his shoulders more often than not.
I wanted to show you a picture to compare his features from last year. He looks so different. You can tell he is turning into a young man. Can you believe that was just one year ago? I didn't realize how much he had changed until I was looking at this post from last year. He has grown taller, cut his hair off and thinned out. And we can't forget maturing. I love my little man.
0 comments:
Post a Comment